Highland Warrior (Campbell Trilogy #1)(96)

“I have no wish—” All of a sudden, his eyes widened with alarm. “Caitrina, watch out!” He made a move toward her, but it was too late.

Chapter 21

Caitrina was lifted off the ground, a heavy arm wrapped around her waist and the long sharp blade of a dirk pressed to her throat.

“One more step and she’s dead.”

Dear God, it was Seamus. The edge of the blade nicked the tender skin below her jaw and she cried out, more surprised than pained. Jamie froze in his tracks.

Niall’s gaze darted back and forth between Jamie and the old guardsman. “What in Hades are you doing, Seamus?”

“Trying to get us out of here,” the old warrior answered impatiently.

“By using my sister?”

“Who has betrayed us! It was she who brought the Henchman here.”

Caitrina said, “I was only trying to help—”

“Shut up!” Seamus ordered, pressing the blade deeper into her throat. She gasped in shock, feeling a sharp sting followed by the wet trickle of blood sliding down her neck. Any hope that Seamus might be bluffing shattered.

Jamie made a sound of such animalistic rage, she felt it deep in her bones. Clearly, it had rattled Seamus as well, because his hand began to shake dangerously.

“Let her go,” Niall demanded with deadly calm, though Caitrina could see that he was feeling anything but.

“No,” Seamus said more anxiously. “He’ll let us go as long as we have the lass.”

Niall dropped his weapon and kicked it toward Jamie, raising his hands in surrender. He shook his head sadly. “It’s over, Seamus. Let her go.”

“No!”

Caitrina could feel the old man’s heart race against her back and knew that he was panicking—his rash plan hadn’t gone as he’d anticipated. His arm tightened around her waist. She sensed what he was going to do but could do nothing to prevent it. Up until now it had almost seemed unreal, but for the first time she felt fear. His hand shook as he started to draw the knife across her neck.

She could hear the wild desperation in his voice as he turned to Niall, his voice laden with apology. “The lass is a traitor. It’s all her faul—”

The sound of a blade whizzing through the darkness followed by a dull thud stopped Seamus cold. He stiffened with shock and released her as he fell back. The knife he was holding to her neck dropped, landing at her feet in the dirt. She glanced down and then jumped back, horrified. Her father’s old warrior lay glassy-eyed, with Jamie’s dirk planted deep in the side of his throat.

It was deathly silent as she processed what had happened. If not for Jamie’s considerable skill with a blade, she might be lying there instead.

Regret washed over her. Jamie had killed him, but it was her hands that were stained with blood.

She felt herself swept up in her husband’s embrace. “God, are you all right?”

She nodded mutely, and he cupped her head against his chest. She inhaled the deep masculine scent—savoring the warmth and safety of his embrace. He’d looked so calm a moment ago, but she could feel the frantic race of his heart against her chest. He squeezed her to him harder and pressed his mouth against her hair. He held her for a long moment, as if he didn’t want to let her go. She wanted to thank him for saving her life but was too horrified by the one that had been lost in her place.

With some reluctance, he released her. His hand brushed the side of her face with aching tenderness. For a moment, in his eyes she saw the emotion he normally kept hidden. He tilted back her chin and looked at her neck. “Bring me some damn light.” A man moved forward with a torch. “Is she all right?” Niall asked.

“Aye, thank God ’tis not deep.” She could hear the anger in his voice and knew he was blaming himself for allowing her to come. Jamie grabbed hold of the edge of her cloak and pressed it against the cut to stanch the bleeding. “Hold it like this,” he instructed, “all right?”

She nodded again, and he ordered one of his men forward. “Take her back to the castle and see that the wound is tended to immediately. Don’t let her out of your sight.” His eyes met hers. “I’ll be back soon.” He leaned forward and dropped another kiss on her forehead.

“Yes,” she managed, then looked to Niall hesitantly.

“Go, Caitrina,” her brother said roughly. “See to your wound.”

Numb, she allowed Jamie’s guardsman to lead her out of the cave and back to Ascog, having no wish to see her brother’s face as he was forced to surrender to her husband.

There was nothing left for her to do here; Caitrina feared

she’d done enough already.

Jamie watched as Will led Caitrina to safety, his stomach lodged firmly in his throat. Only now that the danger was gone did the fear settle in as he realized just how close he’d come to losing her. It had happened so damn fast—he hadn’t had time to think. Years of battle, of honing his instincts, had paid off. When the old warrior had turned, it had been the only opening he needed. He hadn’t hesitated; seeing his target, he’d thrown his dirk with a precision born of a lifetime of practice.

“You really do care for her?”

Jamie turned, not realizing Niall Lamont had been watching him. His hands had been bound behind his back while Jamie’s men cleared the tunnels of the outlaws.